For a team that had lost 11 in a row going into Saturday’s home game against Johns Creek, Douglas County’s boys didn’t look like they considered an even dozen a possibility.

And why should they have? The Tigers had already beaten Johns Creek at Johns Creek in the first game of the season, and 11 weeks later their lone senior was riding the smoothest flow of offense he’s had this season.

That it was Senior Night at Douglas County meant that all the signs were aligning against Johns Creek.

So even when Aaron Drake, bruised hip and all, limped out of a game he had dominated late in the fourth quarter, the Tigers’ victory was a sure thing, awaiting only the final details — like the 94-72 score.

Drake came within two swipes of a triple-double, finishing with 29 points, 12 rebounds and eight steals. In the Tigers’ last four games, he has averaged 28.8 points, feeding on the freedom to shoot that coach Joby Boydstone has given him.

“I told him I can’t make the light any greener,” Boydstone said. “He quit thinking and started shooting like he can. The pups believe in him and I believe in him.”

Pups is how Boydstone refers to a roster blessed — and, more often in this season of growing pains, cursed — with three freshmen, seven sophomores and two juniors.

Some of those pups weren’t even on the varsity when the Tigers won 83-77 in overtime at Johns Creek on Nov. 20.

But these Tigers (4-19) were hardly shy about sinking their teeth into the Gladiators (8-15), harassing them with their press and outrunning them to the other end of the floor as they constantly sought to push the tempo.

Sophomore DeVante Orebeau had 17 points and junior Devan Randall added 16.

The Lady Tigers (19-4) had an even easier time of things, pummeling the Johns Creek girls 74-35 as Kristina Wells led with 15 points. Christin Mercer added 12 and senior Steysi Eccleston, who nearly left the team last week, had seven.

Wells, who bounced back from a concussion last week, suffered another injury Saturday, this time to a wrist.

“It’s on her right hand, so she won’t miss it much,” Lady Tigers coach Chet Forsh joked about his heavily left-handed, top-scoring senior guard.

The Lady Tigers did their damage early, bolting to a 20-6 lead after one quarter, though they played without versatile Amadi Brooks, out with flu-like symptoms. The beating was hardly unexpected after the way they handled them 82-47 in the first meeting.